Stocking protector



Sept. 10, 1929. K. CONDON STOCKING PROTECTOR Filed June 25. 192 8Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES'PA'TENT OFFICE.

KATE cannon, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STOCKING rno'rncTon.

Application filed June 25,

Tig. 1 is a perspective view of the stocking protector of my inventionas worn on the leg;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the stocking protector; and

a Fig. 3 is a plan view of the stocking protector.

The heel and toe portions have always been the most vulnerable parts ofstockings and subject to greater wear and injury than any other parts ofthis article of wear. Theproblem of protecting those portions of thestock ings became of even greater importance in view of the wider use ofsheer, thin hose that became established within recent years,particularly in view of the much greater cost of such stockings ascompared with those worn in years past.

In order to reduce the damage to stockings at the heel and toe portions,various types of protectors have been proposed in the past but none havefound a wide use because, as made heretofore, they either detract fromthe appearance of the stocking as worn in modern low cut shoes or failto fit properly and sit in place on the foot.

My invention provides an improved stocking protector which has a firm,close fit on the foot, sits thereon firmly and permits slipping on thestocking over the foot without becoming curled and displaced, and yetcovers only the relatively small portions of the foot at which thestockings are subject to damage at the toe and heel portions thereof.

As shown in the drawings, my improved r protector comprises a knittedfabric form ing a heel portionor'socket 1 adapted to fit the heelportion of the foot, a toe portion or socket 2 adapted to fit over thetoe portion of the foot, and a narrow intermediate portion 3 connectingthe heel and toe portions. As seen 1928. Serial No. 288,113.

in thedrawing,the intermediate portion 3 is of much narrower width thanthe portion of the foot which it underlies, this bein particularlyindicated in Fig. 1 and in *ig. 3,

the latter figure having the width of the foot indicated by dotted lines4. The heel and the foot portions 1 and -2 have the edges or contour soshaped that when the protector is on the foot, and the cut-out slipperas now worn placed thereover, the foot protector will be entirelycovered by the shoe and no single portion thereof willbe seen from theoutside.

In a protector of the type shown in the drawing, it is of extremeimportance to have.

the toe and heel portions fit snugly on the foot while the stocking isslipped thereover because much annoyance is experienced if the portionsof the protector slip from place or curl and require adjustment inpulling in place after the stocking has been placed on the leg. Veryoften it is almost impossible to' make the adj ustment and the curled ormisplaced portion of the protector will exert pressure on the foot andcause hurt and abrasion thereto. The shaping of the protector, as shownin the drawing, avoidsthe above mentioned difliculties because thenarrowintermediate portion of the protector exercises a pulling actionon the edges 5 and 6 of the toe portion and the edges 7 and 8 of theheel portion so as to fit snugly and in place on the foot and stay therewithout slipping while the stocking is pulled thereover. In order tosecure such a snug fit the fabric constituting the protector is soknitted that the edge portion of the protector along the lines 5, '6, 7and 8 is somewhat shorter than the adj acent portions back of the edgeso that the edge portion fits somewhat tighter on the foot than theother portions of the'protector. This prevents curling of the edges andsecures a tight and correct fit of the protector although the areacovered by the rotector is limited to only small portions of the foot.In the preferred construction, the edge portions 5 and 6, 7 and 8 of theprotector are of somewhat reinforced fabric, for instance, by putting anadditional splicing thread along the selvage edge of the protector inorder to secure the tensioning of this portion of the protector y whenplaced on the loot as explained above.

In other words, I make the protector so that when placed on the foot themain portion of the protector over the toes 2 and the heels 1 willstretch more readily than the portion at the edges 5, (3, 7 and 8, theportions of greater tension being indicated by the multi-' ple linesalong said edges.

' The additionaltensioning of the edges of the protector may also beobtained by knit ting the loops forming the edges somewhat closer thanthe remainder of the fabric so that when placed on the foot the edgeportion ofiers more resistance against stretching than the otherportions'of the fabric, thereby hold-- ing the protector. in place.

By the use of the foregoing protector, runs of the threads in the silkstockings as now in vogue are prevented since'the protector isworn'against the skin eliminating contact of the nails of the toesv withthe stockings and I elastically pulled towards the narrow sole portionand held tightly against the foot preventing curling or dis lacing ofthe protector and wrinkling of the abric. A nice fit is thus securedwithout impairing the appearance of the stockings as worn in modernshoes.

The invention is not limited to the precise details as shown anddescribed above but I desire that the appended claims be given a broadconstruction commensurate with the art of the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a fabric stocking protector comprising a toe portion adapted tounderlieand engage over the toes when worn, a heel portion adapted tounderlie the heel and engage the,

rear and'sides thereof, and a narrow sole strip connecting the toe andheel portion, said sole strip being of less width than the part of thefoot which it underlies, the edges of the toe Lama of the toe and heelportions of the protector being drawn into snug engagement with the footby normal tension of the sole s'trip when the protector is worn.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subshribed my name.

KATE CONDON.

and heel portions being shorter than the immediately adjacent portionsof the fabric so that the edges of the protector firmly grip the footwhen worn to avoid curling or displacement. 1

'2. A. stocking protector of knitted fabric,

a toe engaging portion having its edges shortened and reinforced, a heelengaging portion.

having its edges shortened and reinforced, a

narrow sole strip adapted to underlie the instep connecting said toe andheel portions, sald sole strip being of less width than the part of thefoot which it underlies, the edges

